Compiled by GAVIN CUMMISKEY
4 DONNCHA O’CALLAGHAN
Coughed up a few penalties and could have been binned but he took the responsibility to sacrifice three points to deny the opposition seven.
6/10
11 KEITH EARLS
Ireland’s best finisher, as confirmed by his second try, did enough here to keep Andrew Trimble on the bench against Wales.
7/10
8 JAMIE HEASLIP
With battering ram flankers, Heaslip has carved out his own niche by adopting an openside flanker’s duties on opposition ball.
7/10
2 RORY BEST
Encouraging lineout rhythm with O’Connell and Heaslip, making his injury-enforced departure a serious worry.
6/10
5 PAUL O’CONNELL
Lineout was smooth and more often than not he was the next man into the fray after the backrowers.
7/10
7 SEÁN O’BRIEN
Makes you believe anything is possible. Stood up to Mauro Bergamasco’s attempts at intimidation, the hard yards he makes for this team can never be overstated.
8/10
14 TOMMY BOWE
Cruelly denied two tries but made a brilliant outside break, followed by an inside pass that put O’Driscoll over for the game-defining score. Back to his best.
8/10
9 CONOR MURRAY
The long term answer at scrumhalf, and probably the best foil for Mike Phillips next Saturday, his physicality and composure give him the look of a veteran.
7/10
12 GORDON D’ARCY
A rare line break led to Earls’ first try to complement the dirty, unseen work he always gets through. Improved passing as well.
7/10
1 CIAN HEALY
Gouged and punched, he struggled against Martin Castrogiovanni but out-muscled Salvatore Perugini in another heroic outing. 24 next Friday.
7/10
3 MIKE ROSS
Popped out of three first-half scrums by Perugini but gained parity when Italy lost Castrogiovanni.
6/10
6 STEPHEN FERRIS
Best blindside flanker in the world? Carried relentlessly and beasted any Italian unfortunate enough to run at him. Immense and invaluable.
8.5/10
10 RONAN O’GARA
Six from seven. Set the tone for victory with two early penalties and rejected his natural instinct to chip kick when Italy were there to be gutted out wide.
8/10
13 BRIAN O’DRISCOLL
Moving up the gears now. Got through a massive amount of work and slipped into a neat line for his 45th international try.
7/10
15 ROB KEARNEY
Having a fine tournament, his aerial dominance and hard running sees him regain the lofty status first attained during the Lions test series against South Africa in 2009.
7/10
